This invention relates to compositions useful for cleaning electrical contact surfaces. More particularly, the invention is directed to methods and compositions for maximizing electrical contact between contacting metal surfaces, particularly between the battery contacts in electrical devices such as portable lights, calculators, mechanized toys and games and the like.
It is well known that the exposed surfaces of most metals tend to attract oxygen atoms, leading to the formation of metal oxides on the exposed surface. It also is known that the spontaneous growth of such an oxide film on an exposed metal surface can force its way between two contacting surfaces, particularly when contact pressure between the two metals is light, such as between disposable batteries and their spring mount electrical contacts. Because metal oxides are poor conductors (non-conductors or, at best, semi-conductors), an interfering oxide film between electrical contact surfaces can reduce the area over which good electrical contact can be made, progressively degrading and eventually precluding electrical conduction.
It is an object of this invention to provide a composition and method for cleaning metal contact surfaces so as to effectively establish and maintain maximal electrical contact between electrically conducting surfaces, and to protect these surfaces from subsequent oxidation. It is another object of this invention to provide an inexpensive, reuseable device for applying the composition of the invention to terminals of disposable batteries and for carrying out a preferred embodiment of the method of this invention.
These and other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the description, drawings, and claims which follow.